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| RIT Head Coach Wayne Wilson reacts to Air Force’s third goal in the second period
of the Atlantic Hockey semifinals. |
| Josh Lehrer |
The men’s hockey team fell to Air Force 5-0 in what was described
as an “abrupt end to the season” by RIT Head Coach
Wayne Wilson. Air Force took the lead early in the game with
one goal scored by the end of the first period. Brennan Sarazin,
a third year left wing, crashed the net late in the first period,
only to be stopped by Air Force’s goalie Andrew Volkening in
one of RIT’s best attempts at scoring.
Despite a brief mid-second period RIT rally, with an RIT power-play advantage
of five men on the ice to Air Force’s three, the Tigers remained
scoreless. That series would ultimately end in a shorthanded goal by Air
Force, and by the end of the second period they would bring their lead
over the Tigers to four. Both a frustrating and heartbreaking game, the
Tigers were outshot 29-24.
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| Air Force players celebrate in the third period after their fourth goal of the game as RIT goalie Louis Menard pulls the puck out
of the net on Saturday March 15, 2008 at the Blue Cross Arena in Rochester, NY. RIT lost the game 5-0. |
| Jeff Conner |
However, this loss in the semifinals ends what has been a strong season
for the Tigers. Their final record? 19-12-6. A new addition to the Atlantic
Hockey Conference this year, RIT is still in its infancy within Division I
sports. For only a second year member, what has been accomplished so
far is nothing less than admirable.
Highlights of the season included beating Sacred Heart twice solidly and
taking, for a time, the first place spot in Atlantic hockey. There were also
the overtime wins against Holy Cross to put RIT in the semifinals.
This marks an end to the RIT career of a few players including defenders
Matt Harris, Stephen Burns and Brent Patry; left wings Simone Lambert
and Ricky Walton; and right wings Matt Smith and Darrell Draper—all
huge losses to the offense and defense of RIT’s team. Next season, goalie
sophomore Louis Menard returns along with rookie Andrew Favot.
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